Petals And Thorns
by Vel394
Summary: All was well. Or was it? Death Eaters, broken families and a boy that's really not the bring-home type.
**PETALS AND THORNS**

"Potter, Lily."

This is it. The big test. Am I a Gryffindor, true of heart and mind, like Al and James? Am I Hufflepuff like Rose? Or Ravenclaw like Lucy?

The hat slides over my smooth red hair, and settles over my eyes.

 _Another Potter? A girl no less. Interesting too, unlike the rest of your brood._

'Why can I hear you now, when I couldn't earlier? And what do you mean _interesting?_ I'm not a science project, thank you!'

 _I operate solely in the mind, looking into your most core values and deciding where you'd live up to your full potential. I see many possible futures, each decision killing another._

'So you can read my mind and see the future? What did I have for breakfast this morning? What will I have for breakfast tomorrow? What are the winning Lotto numbers?'

 _STOP. Enough talk. I am starting._

'Hadn't you started already? You take ages. Almost as long as it took Al to jump off the pier when I was eight.'

 _Plenty of bravery, but not reckless. Smart, but not obsessive. Loyal to a fault. Ambitious. You'd fit wherever you wanted to. Where do you feel you would fit best?_

'Not exactly my decision is it? And is speaking in riddles a general trait for all speaking hats? If so, I am definitely changing my Christmas present from Aunt Luna.'

 _It is **always** your decision. I will nonetheless ask you a question, and your answer will solve this puzzle._

'You're as bad as my father, always harping on about decisions. And wouldn't you already know the answer? You're already bloody reading my mind.'

 _Your father had to make a few of his own decisions, starting with the one I now hand to you._

'I _get_ it, ask away.'

 _What are friends?_

'What kind of question is _that?_ '

 _Answer it._

'No, I don't think I will, thank you. Answering stupid question is against my personal philosophy.'

 _Well in that case, you can figure out the answer in_ _ **"SLYTHERIN!"**_

The last part he shouted, causing quite the silence. Peeking out from underneath the Hat, I looked for the black mop of hair that was James. He was staring at me in shock, but after a few seconds he grinned at me, sending me a thumbs-up, and whooping.

I slowly walked over to the table covered in green, where everyone was watching me apprehensively, and looked at Al by the red and gold of Gryffindor. He looked at me in absolute horror, and, unlike James, it didn't change. It broke my heart to see his face like that, and I kept my head down when I reached the table.

"Well, why're you so blue? This is Slytherin, no space for blue. Green and green alone will be accepted." A cheerful voice broke into my reverie, and I looked up to see a girl sitting across from me. She was a first year like me, as evident by the lack of a badge on her robes, and she had long, curly black hair and crystal blue eyes.

I gave her the most honest answer I had. "No one in my family is in Slytherin."

Another girl next to me smiled broadly at me and replied, "Well in that case, at least you know that you're unique." This one had similarly long hair that was straight and platinum blonde and vivid green eyes.

"I'm Ascella Montague, and this is my cousin, Ryan Malfoy." the girl with black hair spoke up, and I smiled slightly.

"And I'm Lily Potter."

Ryan looked at Lily and smiled. "In that case, we're related too, somewhere along the line," she rolled her eyes and laughed slightly. "Nearly all pureblood families are fairly intertwined, and my grandfather has been making my brother Scorpius and I study geneology since we were tiny. My dad thinks it's all a load of rubbish, but my grandfather is highly serious. You should have seen the fit he threw when Scorp was sorted into Ravenclaw. He'll be thrilled that I'm in – and I quote- 'The One True House For Any Malfoy Of Worth'."

I laughed, and suddenly the house seemed a lot more friendly and welcoming. Watching Hugo get sorted into Ravenclaw, I realized that Ryan Malfoy was right.

I was unique. And it was kind of nice.


End file.
